how to get ready for surgery?

[Guest guest]

Hi, all,

I have been lurking here for a long time, but other than my

introductory post, I don't think I have ever posted here. I hate to

be a stranger coming in here begging, but I'm swallowing my pride,

because I think y'all will be able to help me.

 

My husband has been diagnosed with a spinal tumor. We don't yet have

a final diagnosis as to what type of tumor it is. But he will have to

have surgery, probably right after the first of the year. Having no

experience with hospitals or surgery, we need help.

 

I have three concerns:

 

First, how to get him as healthy as possible before the surgery. What

can we do to get his immune system in tip-top shape?

 

Next, how to keep him healthy *in* the hospital. I have a terrible

fear that he will get a staph infection or something while he is

hospitalized.

 

And finally, how to care for him once he is out of the

hospital...handling pain, incision care, etc.

 

With health problems of my own that cause some cognitive problems, I

am having a hard time getting my head around what we need to be doing.

And having a distrust of doctors, I want to be well-armed. We try to

avoid drugs, and it seems that is always the first thing doctors want

to push. Can anyone give us any advice? Thanks so much!

Robin

[Guest guest]

Hi Robin,

 

I'm sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis :-(

 

>First, how to get him as healthy as possible before the surgery. What

>can we do to get his immune system in tip-top shape?

 

- If it were me, I think the most bang for my buck would be to see an

acupuncturist for regular acupuncture and herbs from now until full

recovery.

 

- With my doctor's permission, I'd also see a bodyworker trained in

Connective Tissue Massage to loosen the fascia in my back around the

surgery site, in order to facilitate quicker healing after surgery.

If you can't find someone trained in CTM specifically, you may be

able to find someone trained in Rolfing, Structural Integration, or

Myofascial Release who's able to help.

 

- You can help him yourself if you're willing to do a bit of skin

rolling along each side of his spine. Basically you pinch some skin

between your thumb and other fingers, then push with your thumb while

walking your other fingers forward to pull more skin toward your

thumb... you can move up and down the full length of his back this

way, as well as crosswise (just don't go over the spine, work on each

side separately).

 

I'd skin roll the site each day until surgery. This will help loosen

the fascia in the area and then keep it supple.

 

- I'd get the most pampering Swedish massage available either the day

of or the day before I checked into the hospital. I watched this do

wonders for my grandma's anxiety when she was schedule for surgery.

 

>And finally, how to care for him once he is out of the

>hospital...handling pain, incision care, etc.

 

I'm assuming this means he's not into lots of Percocet for pain

management? :-) I don't have personal experience with saying no to

narcotics when offered, but supposedly folks have used meditation and

acupuncture both for pain management. Some hospitals even offer

meditation classes specifically for this.

 

Hopefully some other list members will talk about things that have

worked for them.

 

Anyway, when I was recovered enough to start, I would have a

nueromuscular therapist or other deep tissue specialist work on any

scarring. Scar tissue is laid down randomly by the body, but deep

friction techniques can help break it up and encourage it to re-heal

more appropriately. This can help minimize loss of range of motion,

as well as diminish the cosmetic appearance of the scarring.

 

Best of luck, keep us updated.

 

}{ugs,

Josh

[Guest guest]

, Joshua Alexander

<listservs@e...> wrote:

 

> - With my doctor's permission, I'd also see a bodyworker trained in

> Connective Tissue Massage to loosen the fascia in my back around the

> surgery site, in order to facilitate quicker healing after surgery.

 

 

Oh, Josh, thank you, thank you! Bodywork never occured to me, and it

makes perfect sense! I will start looking for someone.

 

 

> - You can help him yourself if you're willing to do a bit of skin

> rolling along each side of his spine. Basically you pinch some skin

> between your thumb and other fingers, then push with your thumb while

> walking your other fingers forward to pull more skin toward your

> thumb... you can move up and down the full length of his back this

> way, as well as crosswise (just don't go over the spine, work on each

> side separately).

 

 

Well, I will have to save these instructions, because right now my

mind is saying, " HUH?! " I think if nothing else, I should at least be

giving him the amateur version of a massage every night until the surgery.

 

 

> - I'd get the most pampering Swedish massage available either the day

> of or the day before I checked into the hospital.

 

 

This is the most wonderful idea, and I will most certainly schedule

this for him. He is very nervous, but doesn't want to communicate

much about it.

 

 

> I'm assuming this means he's not into lots of Percocet for pain

> management? :-) I don't have personal experience with saying no to

> narcotics when offered, but supposedly folks have used meditation and

> acupuncture both for pain management. Some hospitals even offer

> meditation classes specifically for this.

 

 

I don't imagine he will be turning down any Percocet (or whatever)

when it is offered! But I would like to have some non-drug ideas in

my bag of tricks if needed.

 

 

>

> Anyway, when I was recovered enough to start, I would have a

> nueromuscular therapist or other deep tissue specialist work on any

> scarring. Scar tissue is laid down randomly by the body, but deep

> friction techniques can help break it up and encourage it to re-heal

> more appropriately. This can help minimize loss of range of motion,

> as well as diminish the cosmetic appearance of the scarring.

>

 

 

Scarring is something else I hadn't thought about. That's why I asked

this list for advice...I know how much wisdom is here. Thank you so

much, Josh.

 

Robin

[Guest guest]

Hi Robin,

 

Sorry to hear of your husband's diagnosis and upcoming surgery.

 

Here's my 2 cents worth on good ways to prepare... These are simply

my opinions, and are in no way intended to diagnose or treat.

 

No offense to the great advice regarding Chinese herbs (I love them

too) but before/during/after surgery, herbs aren't a good idea. They

simply don't always mix well with medications, which he will

(unfortunately) be unable to avoid in a hospital setting.

 

First, of course he'll want to build his immune system. There are SO

many great approaches to this. My personal choice, and considering

his situation, would be a blend of mushrooms, which you will find at

your local health food store.

 

Second, he'll want to use Arnica Montana (homeopathic) for a couple

of weeks BEFORE surgery. This will greatly reduce swelling, bruising

and pain. It will speed his recovery time significantly.

 

Post surgery, one of the best ways I've found to speed healing is

the amino acid L-Arginine. It's incredible!

 

Hope this adds to your bag of tricks!

 

Wishing you and your husband all the best,

Michelle

[Guest guest]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

" A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any

wonder drug. " Patricia Neal

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

2 cents more! I forgot the most important things to enhance immunity,

heal faster and STAY healthy!

 

Keeping a good, positive attitude and holding thoughts of perfect

health. Thoughts create your reality. Make them good!

 

Michelle

[Guest guest]

, " Michelle " <michelle@h...> wrote:

>

 

> No offense to the great advice regarding Chinese herbs (I love them

> too) but before/during/after surgery, herbs aren't a good idea. They

> simply don't always mix well with medications, which he will

> (unfortunately) be unable to avoid in a hospital setting.

 

Thanks for your reply, Michelle. I must have missed the post with

advice on Chinese herbs. I know that many doctors don't know much

about drugs interacting with herbs, so we will avoid them (herbs, I

mean, not the doctors!). If we could do this strictly with Chinese

medicine, I think that would be great, but we can't.

 

> First, of course he'll want to build his immune system. There are SO

> many great approaches to this. My personal choice, and considering

> his situation, would be a blend of mushrooms, which you will find at

> your local health food store.

 

I will research mushrooms. Thanks for the idea.

 

> Second, he'll want to use Arnica Montana (homeopathic) for a couple

> of weeks BEFORE surgery. This will greatly reduce swelling, bruising

> and pain. It will speed his recovery time significantly.

 

I had thought of arnica montana, but didn't know when to start him on

it. Glad you agree it'll be good!

 

> Post surgery, one of the best ways I've found to speed healing is

> the amino acid L-Arginine. It's incredible!

 

I will look into this, too. I appreciate your input and you kind thoughts.

 

Robin

[Guest guest]

, " Michelle " <michelle@h...> wrote:

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

> " A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any

> wonder drug. " Patricia Neal

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

> 2 cents more! I forgot the most important things to enhance immunity,

> heal faster and STAY healthy!

>

> Keeping a good, positive attitude and holding thoughts of perfect

> health. Thoughts create your reality. Make them good!

>

> Michelle

>

 

Oops, I didn't see this before I responded to your other post. I

think this advice is worth a lot more than 2 cents! This is no doubt

the most important thing we can both do.

 

Your post about " Better Health the Joyful Way " was perfect timing for

me. I will be printing it for my husband. Thanks, Michelle!

 

Robin

[Guest guest]

Hi Robin,

So sorry to hear about your husbands impending surgery...its tough to

have that at the back of your mind during the holiday season.

I wanted to add my two cents with Josh and Michelle. I would suggest

Ester-C 1000mg...to boost the immune system and speed the healing process

after surgery. Also make sure the doctors and nurses wash their hands

before doing anything with your husband, especially dressing changes. You

can have some Purell at the bedside for them.?. Research has shown that

hand washing is the single most effective way of preventing the spread of

infection in the hospital setting.

Best wishes for his speedy recovery,

:)Paula